Evaluation of Clinical-functional and Radiographic Outcomes in Patients Who Underwent Meniscal Allograft Transplantation (MAT) at 10 Years.

Recruiting now

Conditions studied: Meniscus Disorder, Arthritis Knee

In brief

Menisci are crescent-shaped cartilage structures that are fundamentally important for the biomechanics and physiology of the knee joint. They play a primary role in load transmission, assist the ligaments in ensuring knee stability, and thus protect against the onset of knee osteoarthritis. Meniscal injuries are the most frequently encountered joint pathology and can cause pain, mechanical blocks, and recurrent effusions. The treatment of these injuries has progressively evolved from meniscectomy (removal of damaged meniscal tissue) to the use of meniscal sutures (where possible) to allow the preservation of the greatest amount of meniscus: numerous studies have shown a correlation between the amount of meniscus removed and the future onset of osteoarthritis (Hutchinson AJSM 2014, Harston KSSTA 2012). However, in some cases, especially in the presence of complex and/or chronic lesions, meniscectomy remains the only viable surgical solution even today. Over time, months or years later, a subgroup of patients experiences symptoms such as pain, joint swelling, and mechanical overload of the compartment subjected to meniscectomy, a condition known as "post-meniscectomy syndrome." Some of these patients will subsequently develop knee osteoarthritis, requiring invasive interventions such as partial or total knee replacement. Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) represents a valid therapeutic option for post-meniscectomy syndrome. This procedure aims to restore joint functionality and stability through the transplantation of a meniscus from a cadaver donor. MAT has been widely adopted in clinical practice, showing success in reducing pain and improving joint functionality. Current studies suggest that meniscal transplantation can offer significant protection against osteoarthritis, but the duration of this preventive effect is not yet fully understood. Furthermore, there are no studies that can demonstrate the state of osteoarthritis with radiographic controls pre- and post-treatment at a follow-up of over 10 years.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06522152

Run by

Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli

People needed

397

Starts

2024-10-24

Expected to finish

2030-07-01

Last updated by the study team

2025-08-06

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Patients aged between 18 and 65 at the time of surgery
• Both male and female
• Patients who underwent meniscal transplantation at the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute at least 10 years ago

You may not qualify if…

• Patients who do not give consent to be included in the study
• Patients who are no longer reachable
• Presence of infection or hematologic, rheumatic, or coagulation disorders at the time of evaluation

Where it is running

• IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli — Bologna, Italy (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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